Rein in Population Growth says Outdoor Recreation Group

Reports that migration is being tipped to soon push New Zealand’s population to 5 million underlines the urgent need for a population control policy, says an outdoor recreation organisation. Andi Cockroft, co-chairman Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations (CORANZ) said New Zealand’s population was being predicted to top 5 million in just two years time.
“There is a constant pursuit of growth. The news about population growth increases concern that New Zealand governments continue to push for growth and more growth regardless of long term consequences,” he said. “ It’s time for urgent reassessment and where New Zealand is headed.”
Andi Cockroft said people put demands on resources and also left a big “effluent footprint.”
“The more people, the more resource demand and more effluent,” he said.
The adherence to the "uncontrolled growth mantra" was being aggravated by the 60,000 new migrants who arrive each year. Alarmingly this figure was predicted to rise to 72,000 in the near future.
No political party seemed concerned except New Zealand First who have constantly pointed out the perils of uncontrolled immigration. The Council of Outdoor Recreation Association (CORANZ) each election year, prepared an election charter which was presented to political parties from which responses were tabulated and analysed. Among the charter's 17 key points was the need to urgently "establish a population policy relative to national, regional, cultural conflicts and immigration aspects. People put demands on resources, both lands, water, and other resources.”
Andi Cockroft said the problems and costly solutions around the bursting growth of Auckland typified the shortsightedness of uncontrolled growth policies. Cities were bering forced to face the costly need for new and renewed infrastructure in roads, sewers, stormwater, housing etc.,
“Together it’s a stark warning about the lack of planning and foresight in chasing, like the dog does its tail, infinite growth. Infinite growth is not compatible with finite resources,” he said.

Complementary to the need for a sound population policy was the need to change the sole economic focus of national prosperity index (GDP) to a Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) based on social, environmental and economic factors as contained in the CORANZ election charter.
Andi Cockroft said CORANZ was currently preparing its charter for the 2017 election year which would be sent to all political parties in the near future.

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